Machine adjusting the timing of a fuse for a projectile



June 21, 1932.

MACHINE ADJUSTING THE TIMING OF A FUSE FOR A PROJECTILE Fig. 1

F. JOHENNING Filed Feb. 19, 1930' 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 21, 1932. F. JOHENNING 1,863,659

MACHINE ADJUSTING THE TIMING OF A FUSE FOR A PROJECTILE Filed Feb. 19, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 21; 1932. F. JOHENNING 1,863,659

MACHINE ADJUSTING THE TIMING OF A FUSE FOR A PROJECTILE Filed Feb. 19, 1930 4. Sheets-Sheet 5 June 21, 1932. F. JOHENNING 1,863,659

MACHINE ADJUSTING THE TIMING OF A FUSE FOR A PROJECTILE Filed Feb. 19, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 AV?!) for f T Hi;

J m z Patented June 21, 1932 HAGUE, NETHERLANDS STATES FRANZ J'OHENNING, OF THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNOR TO NAAMLOOZE VENNOOTSCHAI: HOLLANDSCHE INDUSTRIE EN HANDELMAATSGHAPPIJ', OF THE MACHINE ADJUSTING THE TIMING OF A FUSE FOR A PROJECTILE Application filed February 19, 1930, Serial No. 429,641, and in the Netherlands and Germany December Machines for adjusting the timing of a fuse I in which this adjusting takes place by the aid of a handle or by using the recoil of the gun,

are already known. According to the invention the timing is adjusted automatically by using the own weight of the projectile itself (or of the cartridge) placed in the machine.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and easily carried into effect it will now be further described with the aid ofthe accompanyingdrawings, in

l which I Fig; 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine according to the line I-I in Fig. with a projectile placed in the machine at the beginning of the automatic adjustment of the 3 timing. I

for exactly arranging the projectile.

Fig. 5 is a cross section along the line II'II of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 shows the device for adjusting the timing mechanism.

Fi g. 7 isa perpendicular section to the view of Fig. 4.

"capZ. In thezero position of the fusethese I two notches a and a (Fig. 1) must both lie in For timing the fuse in the machine it is necessary to provide a notch a in the body of the fuse Z and a notch (1 in the rotatable fuse a plane including the axis of the projectile.

The two studs b and b. are arranged in the timing machine to correspond with the notches stand a If now the projectile is put into the adjustment socket (Z of the machine,

the two studs 5 and 51 are pushed backward by the projectile against the action of the stud springs f and 7%. In this way the stud 7) .is pushed into the bore 0 of the casing G and thus fixes the adjustment socket d in that casing. The projectile therefore first falls on the adjustment case a andwith the fuse body isclamped in the conical bore of that case.

45 (vide Fig. 4").

The case 6 is then still in the position drawn in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1 and is kept by itsouter screwthreading in the corresponding inner screwthreading of the adjustment socket d. The screwthreading has a pitch of The adjustment case 6 now sinks under the influence of the weight of the projectile, and moreover is brought into rotation by the screwthreading 6 If now the projectile has sunk so far that the disc 9 which is below the adjustment case is arrested, the adjustment case e has left the threading of the adjustment socket d and now continues its way on the ballbearing k carrying the projectile G until the studs 6 and b spring into the notches a and a due to the action of the springs f and i The stud 5 now leaves the bore 0 of the casing G so that the projectile further falls down by its own weight (Fig. 2). The adjustment socket d with the stud b is guided along a straight path by the keygroove h, the adjustment member 61 with the stud (1 being rotated while sinking by means of the screwthread of a nut fixed in the casing. By this the fuse cap is adjusted and at the same time the spring f is tensioned.

Furthermore the stud 6,. is pushed out wardly by the adjustment socket 455 when the projectile begins to sink down, the spring f thus becoming tensioned. The stud 6 in its turn pushes down the carrying rod 1. Both ends of this rod are wedge-shaped and therefore when moving downwardly this rod is at the same time displaced centrally i. e. towards the axis of the projectile (Figs. 2-5) and tensions the spring f of the stud 6 Now the projectile falls so far that the dish-shaped extension of the adjustment device (Z reaches the stop m, and the stud b the spring f being tensioned, will catch on the angular shoulder d of the dish-shaped extension d of the adjustment device (1 The fuse is now adjusted at the desired timing. This adjustment therefore is dependent upon the position of thestop m, which must correspond with the time of flight of the projectile or with the duration of combustion of the composition in the fuse. If the time of flight is furthercorrected after the timing of the fuse position by the release of'the spring f and. the spring f returning the adjustment case 6 into the screwthreading of the adjustment socket d (Figs. 3 and l). As soon as this has taken place (Fig. 3) the springf will push the stud 6 again into its original position just as the spring f will do with the carry 111 al ocarrying on the stud 72 The angular shoulder (Z has now become free so that the adjustment device (Z is also brought back into the zero position by the releasing spring f at which however the-tenrod 1 and the spring f with the stud b sionof the spring f increases so that'this spring acts as a buffer for the adjustment de vice d which is moving backwardly. The power of the spring f therefore in tensioned position must be greater than that of the spring f in tensioned position.

Now if it is desired to determine a certain range of time from the moment of taking out the projectile until firing the gun, it is possible without any difficulty to arrange a clockwork of known construction in the way indicated in Fig. 3 and to have it tensioned by the lever p as soon as the adjustmentsocket (5 goes up. After the desired time the clockwork will close a discharge contact by which the shot will be fired, or the hand of the running clockwork will indicate the exact moment for firing when its position'will correspond with the firing mark-k.

For adjusting the timing'mechanism the handle a may be used and may be timed according to the scale T shown in Figs. 1-3 and indicating seconds or distances. If the fire is controlled centrally, the. timing may be indicated in the way shown in Fig. 6 on a dial apparatus, from which it may be transmitted into the adjustment machine by adj usting the hand and the handle 12. Furthermore I adjustment -more the machin may be adjusted directly on the desired timing by mechanically or electrically causing the shaft 1" to rotate from the central fire control station.

The embodiment shown in'the drawings possesses two adjustment sockets so that two projectilesmay be dealt with simultaneously but independentlyof each other. It is of coursepossible to provide themachine with sockets.

I claim: i Y l.' A machine for adjusting the timing of a fuse, comprising in combination a housing with one or more adjusting bores adapted to receive the projectiles which are to be timed; an adjusting cup in each bore; each cup being shiftably arranged by means of a key and groove; a spring-pressed stud in each cup; said cup serving to maintain the inserted projectiles in vertical position; an adjusting socket in each cup ;'a rotatably and shiftably mounted adjusting element having aspring actuated. stud, arranged beneath each cup and provided with a screw of steep pitch; a stationary "nut cooperating with said screw,

whereby the weight of the projectile will cause the cup and projectile to descend and rotate about its longitudinal axis; said last named stud springing into the fuse cap of and thus causing the latter'to rotate when the projectile descends, and a stop to limit the R 5 descent of the saidprojectile in correspond ence with the desired timing of the fuse.

, 2. A machine for adjusting the timing of a fuse, comprising in combination a housing with one or more adjusting bores adapted to receive the projectiles which are to be timed; an adjusting cup in each bore; each cup being shift-ably arranged by means of a key and groove; a spring-pressed stud in each cup;

said cu p serving to maintain the inserted pro-Z jectiles in vertical position; an adjusting socket in each cup; a rotatably and shiftably mounted adjusting element having a spring actuated stud, arranged beneath each cup and provided with a screw of'stee'p pitch, a stationary nut cooperating with said screw, whereby'the weight of the projectile will cause the cup and projectile to descend and rotate about its longitudinal axis; said last the projectile whenin the engaged position named stud springing into the fuse cap of the projectile'when in the engaged position and thus causingthe latter to rotate when the projectile descends, a stop to limit'the descent of the said projectile in correspondence with the desired timing of the fuse, and springs for restoring the various setting means to their initial positions when the timed projectile is removed from the machine. 3. A; machine for adjusting the timing of a fuse comprising in i n, a housing having a number of ad usting bores; a djusting cup in-each bore; each cup having a spring-actuated stud to lock the said cup against longitudinaldisplacement; an adjusting socket in each cup which rotates the projectile about its longitudinal axis into the engaging position, at which position the spring stud of'the cup springs into the fuse and thereby releases the said cup, previously locked in the bore, so that it mav undergo the longitudinal displacement. requisite for timing. the fuse.

' 4.. A machine for adjusting the timing of" a fuse comprising in combination, a housing 7 having anumber of ad usting bores; an adjusting cup in each bore; an adjusting socket in each cup; an adjusting element below each socket; an adjustable stop to limit the de scent of the projectile and comprising a spring-actuated stud cooperating with the said element; said stud causing the element to engage with the stop and remain so engaged until the projectile is removed from the machine; means for guiding the springactuated stud into the adjustable stop and a means for adjusting the stop to correspond to the desired timing of the fuse.

5. A machine for adjusting the timing of a a fuse comprising in combination, a housing '15 having a number of adjusting bores; an adjustin g cup in each bore; an adjusting socket in each cup; an adjusting element below each socket; an adjustable stop to limit the descent of the projectile and comprising a springactuated stud cooperating with the said element; said stud causing the element to engage with the stop and remain so engaged until the projectile is removed from the machine; means for guiding the spring-actuated stud into the adjustable stop; means for adjusting the stop to correspond to the desired timing of the fuse; means for restoring the moving parts to their initial position upon removal of the timed projectile; a clock mech anism; and means whereby the adjusting cup starts the clock when it returns to its initial position upon removal of the projectile, said clock serving to indicate the time of firing.

6. A machine for adjusting the timing of j a fuse comprising in combination, a housing having a number of adjusting bores; an adj usting cup in each bore; an adjusting socket in each cup; an adjusting element below each socket; an adjustable stop to limit the descent of the projectile and comprising a springaotuated stud cooperating with the said element; said stud causing the element to engage with the stop and remain so engaged until the projectile is removed from the machine; means for guiding the spring-actuated stud into the adjustable stop; means for adjusting the stop to correspond to the desired timingof the fuse; means for restoring the movable parts to their initial position upon removal of the timed projectile; a clock mechanism; and means whereby the adjustingcup starts the clock when it returns to its initial position upon removal of the proj ectile, said clock serving to control the closing of the firing circuit of the projectile.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANZ J OHENNING. 

